


The Hunter and her Shield

by mirelia853



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Chocobros - Freeform, F/M, Road Trips, royal road trip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-09-16 01:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9267608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirelia853/pseuds/mirelia853
Summary: Cindy invites a Hunter to meet the Royal Road trip when they stay at Hammerhead. None of them were expecting it to be a woman however....





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This came originally from Gladiolus talking on the balcony in Lestallum at the end of some of the days. If his sister is in the Hotel, why would he call her? Yes, I can see him being a Casanova but with someone he really liked, I think he’d be interested.

“Woohoo! I owe Cindy a drink next time we go to Hammerhead. Atta girl!” Gladiolus did a fist pump before quickly going out onto the hotel balcony, leaving the others confused. 

  
“What do you think _that ___was about?” Noctis says, looking bemused at his shields response.  
  
Only Prompto looked almost serious and sighed, “Not sure I even want to know.”  
  
=+=+=  
  
Gladiolus sat on the balcony in their hotel room in Lestallum, a grin on his face as he texted her.  
  
_G: Does she know I wanted her number?_  
  
The warmth of the evening drifted over his skin, the music that would always play late into the evening as he waited for Cindy’s text. He wanted to be sure he wasn’t going to make a complete fool of himself. Not a total fool anyhow.  
  
The phone in his lap buzzed and his grin spread.  
__  
_C: She does now. I told her the guy with the tattoos wanted her number. She seemed just fine with that. ___  
  
Just fine, huh? That was almost a ‘yes please’ as far as Cindy’s friend seemed to be concerned.  
  
He’d met Nisha just a few days earlier on a regular trip to Hammerhead they often took to see Cid and make sure the ‘Regalia’ was working well. Normally, if they stayed in the caravan on site, Cindy would come over and they’d share a beer or two, flirting and joking around. They got on well but she really wasn’t his type and he sensed she wasn’t interested in him either. So, when Cindy said she had a friend staying with her, a hunter, no-one minded her bringing them along.  
  
Gladiolus wasn’t the only surprised one when Nisha, a tall woman wearing jeans and shirt and the necklace that he knew held her dog tags, turned up. She had long dark hair, braided over her shoulder. He saw a hint of green in her eyes. Before they introduced each other, Cindy insisted she guess who the Prince was – no names given.  
  
Nisha took a beer and her sharp eyes roamed to each of them and after a moment, a sly grin on her face, she tapped Noctis on the shoulder. “Prince Noctis, I presume.” He chuckled at her accuracy.  
  
“Told ya, you’d work it out, Nish. She’s one sharp hunter, guys.” Cindy grinned and after that, the atmosphere lightened.  
  
While the others were talking, Gladiolus queried, “So, tell me, just how did you guess about Noct? Cindy didn’t tell you did she?”  
  
“She didn’t tell me who it was, just that one of you was a prince from Crown City.” Sipping her beer, she gave him a knowing grin. “Noctis reminds me of a little of me. Right now, he gets overlooked and people assume Ignis is the prince.”  
  
“Hey!” Noctis pouted.  
  
“What I mean is, people don’t see me as a hunter and that’s a good thing. Means I can go in and kick their ass – Just like you can, Noctis.”  
  
Both laughed and the rest of the evening, Gladiolus admitted he spent talking mainly to Nisha, thinking at the time he had a lot in common with the hunter. Although neither of them promised to stay in touch, she had been in his mind a lot. And there had been a moment where he wondered if she would kiss him at the end of the night. Instead, she put her hand gently on his arm, saying goodbye before driving away in a scruffy blue pick up truck.  
__  
So… Here goes nothing __, he thought. For some reason speaking to Nisha made him a little nervous.  
__  
_G: Hey, its Gladiolus. Cindy gave me your number. ___  
  
Putting his phone on the seat, he stood up and leant over the balcony, looking towards the ocean. If it was going to be silence, he would give it five minutes and leave. Gladiolus was just about to leave when he heard his phone buzz.  
__  
_N: Well hey, Tattoo Man. She threatened to give you my number. How’s life travelling with the Prince? ___  
Despite the silly nickname he smirked. He could almost heard the woman’s voice as they’d talked the other night.  
__  
_G: The girl followed through with her threat. You don’t mind do you? Mainly tired from travelling but we’re in Lestallum and we’ve got some down time. You ever been there?_  
  
Ignis walked through onto the balcony and sat down in the spare chair, handing him a can of Ebony.  
  
“What’s this for, Iggy? You feeling guilty for something?”  
  
His friend put his can to his mouth. “I know who it is you’re talking to. I've just worked it out why you owe Cindy a drink.”  
  
He raised an eyebrow at Ignis’s clipped tones. “So tell me then. I want to hear your theory.”  
  
“You and Nisha, Cindy’s friend were talking nearly all night. You weren’t flirting with her like you do with Cindy. I’ve known you long enough to know you’re careful with someone you like, Gladiolus.”  
  
Gladiolus breathed deeply as Ignis continued. “You two were dancing round each other all night, neither wanting to make the first move. Until now.” As if on time, his phone buzzed.  
  
“I’ll leave you. Don’t stay up too late.”  
__  
_N: If I minded, we’d not be talking. And I’ve been to the city once or twice. Humid place. I prefer the countryside or ocean more. ___  
Despite his conversation with Ignis, he suddenly wondered if the advisor did not agree with his actions – yet he knew that if that was the case, the forthright man would have said something.  
Instead he turned his mind back to the woman waiting on a message from him (he liked to think). _Time to up the game. ___  
  
_G: You got a few minutes spare? We could talk properly by phone. ___  
  
He stretched an arm above his head and listened to the music outside in the street until the phone buzzed.  
__  
_N: Well, just be warned my pa might need me to drag him out of whatever watering hole he’s got stuck in. ___  
  
He shook his head and took that as a yes and rang the hunter.  
  
“Hey Nisha.” He said fairly quietly, making sure the door was closed.  
  
“Well hey, Gladiolus. You normally call strange women you’ve only just met?” He heard the humour in her voice and he chuckled. Normally he didn’t jump so fast. Since being the shield of Noctis, he’d been careful around women. But since the King's death and the fall of Insomnia – just what was normal anymore?  
  
“Well, I don’t think you’re so much of a stranger any more, do you?”  
  
“I guess not. My, Cindy warned me about you being a charmer and she was right.”  
  
Then he suddenly realised something he’d not picked up on the other night with everyone talking. Her accent, although there were words that were similar to Cindy’s accent in sound, there was plenty she said that made her sound like her accent was a mix of Leide area and … something more familiar.  
  
“Hey well, I like to treat a beautiful lady the way I think she deserves to be treated. If that makes me a charmer… “ He shrugged. “So you’re at home right now then?”  
  
“Just me and my dog. Pa is out, making a fool of himself wherever they sell alcohol.” He heard the bitterness in her voice.  
  
“Is he a hunter too?”  
  
She sighed, “He was before he let alcohol rule his life. My Ma was a hunter too, 'til she died. What about you?”  
  
He recognised what she was trying to do. No ‘I’m sorry’ about a death that could have happened when she was a baby. “I’m no hunter. Shield of the Prince, that’s my job.”  
  
“You’re the muscle. Yet you’re a very intelligent man.”  
  
Ignis had been right – both dancing round each other. “Brain as well as brawn.”  
  
“Nothing wrong with that. Round here, they think you’re strange if you read.”  
  
“You read, Nisha?”  
  
Gladiolus heard her voice almost smile as she replied, “I do. It ends up being the same books. I don’t buy them very often and you’ve probably realised, no libraries round here.”  
  
That suddenly gave him an idea. “Any particular type?”  
  
“Fiction mainly. Mystery, crime, anything except romance.” He knew exactly what he would do the next time he saw this woman.  
  
“I like fiction or non-fiction. I don’t mind. But History really interests me.” He heard the long whistle down the phone.  
  
“You really surprise me, Gladiolus.”  
  
He laughed low. “I’m glad I surprise you. Gotta keep you on your toes.” It was then he heard a buzz on the other end of the phone. _Timing. ___He suddenly didn’t like her father very much, without even meeting him.  
  
“Sorry ‘bout this Gladiolus but I’ve got to cut this short. My Pa needs his lift. He’s just been thrown out of the bar he was in.”  
  
“Well, I’ve enjoyed it Nisha. I have to go anyhow, got to be up early tomorrow.”  
  
“I did too. Speak to you soon.”  
  
He smirked at the implied promise as the phone beeped off.  
  
  
=+=+=  
  
He crawled into bed after a shower, Ignis still awake and reading. “Sounds like you had fun.”  
  
Glancing up at the other double bed, he noticed the other two were asleep. “Yup. Interesting lady. I suppose I should put Prompto out of his misery.”  
  
“He thinks you were talking to Cindy.”  
  
“And you didn’t tell him otherwise. You have a cruel streak, Iggy.” Ignis gave him a half-smile.  
  
“So no doubt you’ll be wanting to go back to Hammerhead.”  
  
“We can text or talk for now. No rush.” He tried to sound nonchalant but since Insomnia had fallen, he suddenly realised how short life really was. At least Iris his sister was still alive.  
  
Ignis closed his book and look at him. “Don’t let your duty become all you have. That’s all I’ll say.”  
  
He shook his head. “You never would have said that before leaving Insomnia.”  
  
“No, you’re right. But we have to carry on with our lives. As long as it doesn’t stop you from doing your job, and I KNOW it won’t.”  
  
Gladiolus heard the trust in his friend’s voice and teased, “Yes Mom. Okay, I need my sleep.” He curled up on one side but he would be lying if he said Ignis’s words and the conversation he’d had with Nisha made sure he didn’t sleep for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is more from the Chocobros view - mainly Noctis. And they get it so wrong...

Ever since that first conversation, Gladiolus and Nisha had texted almost every day. The hunter was often busy with her job and Gladio with whatever Noctis decided they needed to do. However, whenever he got to Lestallum (more often lately thanks to being asked to do some of the diner owner’s shopping), Gladio sometimes got time away from the group and as long as Iris didn’t require his attention, his thoughts would immediately turn to Nisha.

So after a meal with his camp mates, Iris, Jared and Talcott, in Lestallum, he managed to sneak off, saying he needed to have a walk before bed, making sure Iris would go back to the hotel with Ignis.

=+=+=

Noctis watched Gladiolus go, a slight frown on his face. He was getting caught in his thoughts when Iris nudged him. “What’s with Gladiolus? His mind seems to be wandering. I had to ask him something three times before I got a reply.” Noctis had noticed and was just about to respond before another voice answered for him.

“Perhaps he wants to speak to his girlfriend.” Prompto grinned – until Noctis kicked him.”Oww!”

Iris’s eyes lit up. “Girlfriend. Really?” She looked from Noctis to Prompto. “But who is she, what’s she like – and why did Gladdy not _say_ anything to me???” He heard the edge of hysteria in her voice. _Oh, Prompto, you have no idea what you’ve caused_.

“Iris, calm down. Gladiolus has said very little to us too.” Noctis said, then glowered at Prompto.

“And Prompto may have assumed something that simply isn’t there. I’m sure your brother would tell you if he was seeing someone, Iris.” Ignis did his best to calm the situation down. _Thank the Six for Ignis._ Yes, the man could drive him mad at times but his diplomacy skills were second to none. Noctis raised his eyebrows to thank Ignis out of view of Iris.

“Well if you’re sure…” Iris sighed and put her cutlery down on the plate. “I’ll speak to him when he gets back though.”

“That’s probably a very good idea. Now, if everyone has finished, why don’t we go back to the hotel?”

“I think I’ll go for a walk round the market. You coming, Noct?” Prompto stood and stretched, looking hopefully at him. Just what was his friend upto?

Sighing and hoping to keep Prompto out of trouble, he shrugged. “Fine but not too late.”

“Very well, but don’t split up, the pair of you.” Ignis frowned. Noctis did his best not to react but he saw Prompto eye roll. He knew Ignis was just doing his job but it was still taking Prompto time to adjust to the Royal Advisor.

“We won’t. Let’s go.” Noctis started to walk towards the Market place.

As soon as the group going back to the hotel were out of sight, Prompto veered down an alleyway, towards the Outlook – and away from the Market.

“Prompto! You’re going the wrong way!” Noct stuck his hands in his pockets. Already the man was leading them into trouble, he could just sense it.

His friend turned and grinned. “Let me ask you. If you were talking to a gorgeous woman and you wanted scenery to match in Lestallum, where would you go?” The grin on his friend’s face made him wary but he responded anyhow.

“Dunno. Not to the Market anyhow.”

“How about the Outlook. Perfect with the sun starting to go low in the sky.” Prompto waved his hands to physically paint a picture.

Noctis followed his hyperactive friend. “Your point being?”

“It’s the best way for me to talk to Cindy!”

“Hold on. How are you going to get the phone off Gladio?” Noctis had a bad feeling about this.

Prompto grabbed his arm and headed towards the outlook. “That’s where you come in. You need to distract him.”

“ _Riiight_. Is this before or after he kills me?”

“Pfft. He can’t kill you – he’s your Shield and gets paid to keep you _alive_.” Prompto let go of his arm and pointed by one of the Outlook’s seats. “Looks like we’ve found our target.”

Noctis shook his head. ”Fine but you better be quick grabbing that phone. You take the right hand side and follow my lead.”

Both of them crept up behind Gladiolus, on opposite sides of the seating but out of view of the Shield. Yet again, he wondered just how he got led into this situation.

“So you busy at work, babe?” He heard Gladiolus ask his phone caller, a smile on his lips. Noctis glanced over at Prompto and just for a moment, his usually bright expression darkened listening to Gladiolus flirt. To distract his friend, he pointed at Gladiolus and they used their normal fight technique to attack stealthily – pointing and talking by eyebrow raises.

When Noctis was sure Gladiolus hadn’t seen him, he crept up behind his Shield and tapped him on his right shoulder.

“ _HEY_! What you doing?” Gladiolus leapt up and reached for Noctis – just as he moved the phone away from his ear.

Prompto quickly grabbed the phone and dodged the larger man’s reach. Noctis moved between the two men, just as his blond friend said, “Hey Cindy! It’s Prompto. I just wanted to say hi!”

Gladiolus swiped for his phone and seemed a little disconcerted when the blonde ducked away from his grab. “Dammit Prompto, I’m not – it’s _NOT CINDY_!” He growled and tried to reach back for his phone.

Noctis blinked. _Oh crap_. Prompto really had misjudged who Gladiolus was speaking to – and it seems like the person Prompto talking to had told his friend this too.  
“I’m s-sorry, I’ll pass the phone back.” Prompto handed the phone back and seemed unsurprised at the whack Gladiolus gave him on the back of the head.  
“I’ll talk to you both later. _GO_!”

They did as Gladiolus requested and walked back, Prompto looking incredibly deflated.

“So if it wasn’t Cindy, who was it?” Gladiolus was a huge flirt after all. It seemed in every stop, he knew or got to know somebody.

“Nisha. You remember, Cindy’s friend?” Noctis nodded. He’d remembered the tall hunter who’d guessed his royalty. So _that’s_ who Gladiolus was smiling over. He couldn’t believe he’d not seen it coming.

Prompto groaned and ran his fingers through his hair as they walked back to the hotel. “Gladio is going to _kill_ me.”

Noctis raised his eyebrows, “Yeah I wouldn’t want to be you right now. Then, there’s what you said to Iris… “

Prompto groaned again. “Is it possible for someone to die _twice_?”

“Guess we’re going to find out…” Noctis smirked at his best friend’s reaction.

=+=+=

Nisha took their conversation being hijacked very well. She laughed and told him she’d have to tell Cindy about her ‘fan’. Their conversation ended up pretty much straight afterwards.

Gladiolus’s night took a turn for the even more strange after he got back to the hotel and met Iris, eyes hard and her arms crossed angrily. _Oh great – what’s happened now?_

“Who is she, what’s she like and why haven’t you told me about her!” Iris punched him on the arm with the Amicitia right hook, and was surprised how much it hurt. She’d obviously been training.

“Hey! What was that for?” He grabbed hold of his sister’s hand before she punched him again. Of course, someone had blabbed. His sister was not happy!

“I heard about you and your girlfriend. Why didn’t you tell me?!” Iris struggled to loosen her hands (probably to punch him again) and he led her inside her bedroom and sat on the bed.

Sitting his upset sister on his knee, like a small child, he dropped his voice. “Ok, so just who said I had a girlfriend?” Iris pouted and kicked her legs, looking like she was about to cry in frustration. He rubbed the small of her back.

“When you went off tonight. It was Prompto who said you were talking to your girlfriend.” Oh boy, that kid didn’t know when to give up, did he?

Knowing his sister was upset and needed an answer from him, he said, “Nisha is a friend. She’s having a hard time with things at home and needed to talk, that’s all.” Gladio felt his sister’s sharp eyes on him. “She’s a good person, Iris. You’d like her.”

“But…?” Iris looked at him hopefully.

“No but’s. I’m not going out with her. We’re just friends.”

“Really? Cos, you know, I just want you to be happy, Gladdy.” Iris put her arms round his neck and Gladiolus returned her hug.

“I _am_ happy, at least as happy as I can be right now. But my job and my family is pretty much my life. You know that.” He nudged her back to make his point. He didn’t tell her that the Hunter was having a tough time with her Pa, that she’d needed someone to talk to and he enjoyed being the person she turned to – that Nisha was starting to feel like part of the group of people he sought to protect – at least in his mind. But protecting someone did not mean she was his girlfriend.

_Did it?_

Iris poked his chest. “Fine, but if anything happens you’ve got to tell me. No letting me find things out from Prompto again.”

Gladiolus rolled his eyes, more at the mention of Prompto opening his mouth again. “I promise, if by some miracle I get a girlfriend, I’ll tell you.”

“You better had.” Iris smirked.

=+=+=

Gladiolus edged open the bedroom door and seeing Prompto chatting away with his back to the door, he saw his opportunity. The Shield took his chance, leaning forward to whack Prompto abruptly on the back of the head again.

“Owww!” The blond put his hand to his head, the other two either laughing or eyes glimmering with humour.

Gladiolus crossed his arms as he towered over Prompto. “What in the Six did you tell my sister? Poor kid was really upset!” So maybe he was laying on a bit thick but he wanted to get his point across.

“And then there’s you taking my phone off me ‘cos you thought it was Cindy I was talking to. Good job Nisha’s got a sense of humour! You do that again, either of you and the next time we train, I’ll pan you into the dirt!” He pointed from a cowed Prompto to a Noctis, who was blinking hard. He knew the Prince would know he was serious even if Prompto didn’t.

Ignis cleared his throat, “Well now that’s sorted, shall we call it a night?”

+=+=+

Gladiolus stood on the balcony looking out as he waited for a text from Nisha. He wasn’t tired and his mind was going from one thing to another. Sitting down, the phone buzzed as he got a text message.

_N: So Pa is finally asleep, snoring so loud to make the floorboards rattle._

_G: And I had a go at Prompto for stealing my phone. Plus, he upset my little sister._

_N: Uh oh, there was me thinking he seemed like a sensible person. A bit bouncy but that’s no bad thing._   
_N: Hope your sister is ok?_

Nisha added and he smiled at her kindness.

_G: Yeah she’s ok. Just been a hard time lately and she’s only fifteen. Too young for some of the things she’s had happen to her._

He did not want to go into details as he still needed to sort it out in his head.

_N: I bet you’re a good brother, Gladio. She’s lucky to have you._

Despite the long night and the thought he might struggle to sleep, he felt tiredness make his eyelids droop.

_G: You say the sweetest things. And I better go to bed and make sure Noctis hasn’t stolen my side of the bed. Night babe x_

_N: You deserve it. Night Gladio x_

But by the time Nisha’s reply came through, Gladiolus was fast asleep.

+=+=+

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gladiolus gives 'Gibbs smacks' (as in 'NCIS' Special Agent Gibbs) and you would not want to be on the receiving end of one of those smacks. Poor Prompto!


End file.
